Council Rent Cheques

Skreeworld rarely comments on politics but this issue has come to our atention a few times now. With homeless figures spiralling out of control, we note that a law slipped in to effect shortly after the current government came in to power though it originated from a directive from Browns days. In an attempt to empower those on housing benefit, the government saw fit to change the system. Where as before, a housing benefit recipient could instruct the council to pay the money either to themselves or directly to their landlord, now it is always sent to the recipient. After years of schemes to try to enable the older jobless in to work, the older unemployed were largely on incapacity, for one reason or another they were unable to work. Some have mental health issues, some are alcoholic others may be addicted to another drug. Putting their rent, effectively what keeps them from the streets is pure idiocy. There are already victims of this that I have seen. With nothing to do and no self control, many people were protected by a system that could, in the right cases, place the responsibillity out of their hands. Effectively protecting them from themselves. The idea was to put the rent in the tennants hands in order to protect them from unscrpulous landlords so they could with hold rent if repairs etc. were not carried out, the option was already there. Forcing a cheque in to the hands of all but the most sensible junky is to make them homeless. What is legislated under the banner of empowering the poor can easly backfire. The five cases I have personally seen have resulted in three evictions. This also makes landlords less open minded to benefit dependent tennants. Where once the rent was guaranteed a landlord now sees a tennant who may, despite what they say to get the tenancy, as a potential loss of money.
As unemployment grows, as no one can deny it is, more people will be claiming housing benefit. With this law still in place homeless figures, already on the increase, look set to soar. When, only last year, half the homeless people in London were migrant workers, mostly of East European birth, now they make up just a third. More ex armed forces personel contribute highly to the figures as more disillusioned or battle scarred young men and women return from the lost wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Youth unemployment is huge. Again the Conservatives have left the crucial 16 to 20 year old bracket a vaccuum. During their last tennure in power the same occurred. Learning the important work ethic that is necessary to be forged in a person during these years un taught can leave people prone to benefit dependence for life.
The situation really hits home once the warmer months are over. This years unseasonably hot early autumn is hiding a huge problem. A society, as any man, should be judged on how it treats the weakest. This ridiculous taking away of the option to have a claimants housing benefit sent directly to the landlord will have dire consequences.